Pride Mountain, Vintner Select Merlot, Sonoma County

Pride Mountain · California › Sonoma County › United States of America

Red · Merlot
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LWIN 1581742
Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
92 /100
Reviews
23
professional

Vintages

No vintages

No vintage-specific entries have been added for this wine.

NV

Community Reviews

25
25
Reviews
92.2
Avg Score
94
Highest
Taster #9395 · Jun 13, 2025
89/100
Off nose which I'm finding in these older merlots. Decanted and improved with time but kept me from rating higher
2007 vintage
Taster #9206 · Aug 7, 2021
Slow ox for one hour. This wasn’t completely shot but it had heavy barnyard smells which you wouldn’t normally associate with this wine
2007 vintage
Taster #8822 · Jun 25, 2020
93/100
big but balanced merlot, lots of life left.
2007 vintage
Taster #9206 · Jan 6, 2020
93/100
Haven’t had one of these in a while. Popped and poured and within twenty minutes this was strutting it’s stuff. Bold nose of black currant, plum and olives. The palate is full bodied but complex with ripe black and red fruit mixing nicely with some savoury earthy elements in the mid palate. Big in structure with well integrated tannins and a long finish. This is not for the faint of heart but nor did it feel overwrought. This should continue …
2007 vintage
Taster #3289 · Dec 18, 2016
93/100
Big hit for Xmas dinner! A big and beautiful merlot.
2007 vintage
Taster #7792 · Dec 16, 2016
92/100
This is a shocking level of consistency among CT scores. I don't know if I've ever seen such a small standard deviation among scores. Basically, those who have this wine have an expectation for Merlots from Pride, and this wine delivers. It is more jammy with sweet cranberry fruits than I remember last time, and more mouth-filling and palate-coating. It's in a nice place right now, and developing earthier hints of sauteed mushrooms. This was a ridiculously good pairing with …
2007 vintage
Taster #3773 · Nov 22, 2015
93/100
This was ready to drink. We started with a 2012 Darioush Merlot, which was very good and obviously made to drink now. The 2007 Pride was delicious. Still fruity, but well balanced. More depth than the Darioush. Drink this now if you still have it!
2007 vintage
Taster #7792 · Mar 25, 2015
93/100
Haters will hate, but this merlot is outstanding. I bought this because I miss having Pride Merlot in my cellar. And this bottle certainly justified that decision. It is definitely not Pomerol, nor is it an elegant Helen Turley-era Pahlmeyer or a Kapcsandy Merlot, but it is delicious in its own way and it is made in a way that is respectful to the varietal. It is rich and filled with sweet red fruits, creamy mocha, and is wonderfully perfumed. …
2007 vintage
Taster #1485 · Oct 4, 2014
93/100
Solid but a bit tannic. May be past its prime.
2007 vintage
Taster #8956 · Jun 14, 2014
93/100
decanted for an hour. great nose. bright fruit and nice finish. drinking well right now.
2007 vintage
Taster #7257 · Aug 11, 2013
92/100
Great, fruity Merlot. Nice from the start, not as tight or any heat as last few bottles. Try one now.
2007 vintage
Taster #7257 · Feb 13, 2013
92/100
Same notes as from my last few tastings over the past 60 days.
2007 vintage
Taster #7257 · Jan 12, 2013
92/100
Better bottle than last night. Medium+ weight, nice fruit, smooth drinking with slight heat on the finish, got much better with air. Enjoy over the next few years.
2007 vintage
Taster #7257 · Jan 11, 2013
slightly corked. wasn't the same bright fruit I tasted recently.
2007 vintage
Taster #7257 · Nov 13, 2012
92/100
Medium+ weight, nice fruit, smooth drinking with some heat on the finish, got much better with air. Enjoy over the next few years.
2007 vintage
Taster #1978 · Oct 28, 2012
93/100
Opened and consumed over a few hours. Purple in color. The nose has dark cherries, black raspberries, dark chocolate and some fresh cut lumber. Overall an awesome nose. On the palate, this is young and primary. Dark cherries mostly, some complexity with a bit of cocoa powder. There is some heat on the back end, but not a problem. Still on the very young side and really needs a few more years in the cellar.
2007 vintage
Taster #7257 · Oct 14, 2012
92/100
A Cab lover's Merlot. Med weight, nice fruit, smooth drinking, got better with air. Loved 2nd half of bottle. Enjoy now or over the next few years.
2007 vintage
Taster #3735 · Sep 18, 2012
90/100
Great merlot
2007 vintage
Taster #5824 · Mar 29, 2012
92/100
Sawdust nose; More texture and complexity than the regular bottling
2007 vintage
Taster #4868 · Dec 9, 2011
91/100
Took a while to open up ... let these sit.
2007 vintage
Taster #4831 · Aug 21, 2011
92/100
good bottle - smooth and rich with rich dark cherries and somewhat hot alcohol taste. gets better with time in the glass
2007 vintage
Taster #1978 · Jun 23, 2011
92/100
Pride Dinner (Fire Food and Drink, Cleveland Ohio) : Purple in color. This was really good. The nose shows some oak, but not overwhelming. Lots of cherries, some milk chocolate and some raspberries. This was tight and took some coaxing to open up. Seems to have lots of depth to it. Lovely texture. Excellent balance.
2007 vintage
Taster #9507 · May 28, 2011
92/100
Drank this after a 2007 Rafanelli Zinfandel the night I proposed to my girl. It was a bit chunky and unfined, but delicious in the Pride style. I saved about half a bottle and drank the following evening, it seemed a bit more refined and silky; I left the chunks in the original bottle.
2007 vintage
Taster #8655 · May 27, 2011
93/100
An excellent wine. Not as big and ripe as this sometimes can be. Still quite structured and needs a couple more years to really open up. Still, it's delicious now with a bit of decanting.
2007 vintage
Taster #9820 · Jan 16, 2011
94/100
1 hr decant. Fantastic. Like a chocolate milkshake. Intense nose of chocolate, coffee, cherries, long long finish and very smooth.
2007 vintage